He shrugged and tore off more of the paper. “I imagine some of them don’t like to be reminded of the horrors that come with Christmas either.”
Horrors? I snorted. He must have spent a holiday with my sister at some point.
“When I say ‘the living,’ I mean you.” I tapped his chest. “You’re still alive, aren’t you?”
“That depends.”
Natalie shot me a grin. “On what, Cornelius? The time of day?”
“To which part of my body you are referring in this case. For example, my hair shafts are dead cells.”
“Isn’t the top layer of your skin dead, too?” she asked.
“If you’re referring to the thicker, horny layer, that’s a common misperception. It’s still alive and quite useful.”
Natalie guffawed. “My horny layer is way too much alive these days. It doesn’t seem to understand that the rest of us are on sabbatical.”
“I know someone who would be happy to fix that problem for you,” I reminded her.
Her gaze narrowed. “That would turn my little problem into a calamity of epic proportions, and you know it.”
I did. Unfortunately for Natalie, her heart usually led the way into relationships and ended up battered, bruised, and curled up in a gutter.
Turning back to Cornelius, I tapped on the unwrapped box he held in his hands. “Open it.”
He lifted the lid. “What is this?” He extracted the maroon material.
“A new robe,” I said, taking the empty box from him so he could hold up the thick, soft robe. “Your yellow one has seen better days.” Not to mention it was too short for my viewing comfort. This new one would cover his hairy knees. I had Doc try it on to double-check its length.
Cornelius lowered the robe. “Does this mean I can walk around without trousers in your presence now?”
“No. I still require pants at all times in your case.”
“That’s unfortunate.” He set the robe on the table next to the empty box. “Thank you for the gift, Violet. I will think of you every time I wear it.”
I grimaced. That wasn’t quite what I’d been going for.
“I have something for you as well,” he said, walking over to a narrow door next to the bathroom. “Or rather, for your son.”
He did? “You do?”
“This arrived yesterday.” He pulled out a trident that was almost as tall as me. “I believe you’ll want it for tomorrow’s festivities, although it might be a tight fit under the tree.”
“Is that real?” Natalie asked, joining him. She ran her finger down the steel shaft.
“As real as you’re going to find in this century. It was made by a weaponsmith who specializes in medieval bronze and steel weaponry.”
I stepped closer, admiring the swirling designs etched into the forked head. Layne was going to flip his lid over this. His list for Santa had been a mishmash of weapons, helmets, and books about both, but … “Cornelius, I don’t know if I can afford this.”
“I thought money was no object for you,” he said.
A shout of laughter escaped my lips before I could corral it. “What makes you think that?”
“You rarely carry cash and wear expensive shoes.”
Natalie smiled. “He’s got you nailed, babe.”
“Not quite. I don’t carry cash most days because supporting two children on my own sucks the lifeblood out of my wallet.” I ran my fingertips over the tallest of the three metal points on the head. “As for my shoes, my mother supports my addiction to pricey footwear.” Her generosity to my feet was part of why I had put up with Susan’s shit for as long as I had. As much as I would like to shove a mummified mouse down her gullet and set her out for the garbage truck to take, I didn’t want to piss off my shoe supplier.
Okay, truth be told, it went way deeper than that with my mom, including a smidgeon of parental-induced guilt and a dollop of unconditional love, but the expensive shoes Mom routinely gave me went a long way toward healing Susan’s claw scratches.
Cornelius held out the trident for me to take. “Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll make a trade with you.”
“I’m not sure I have anything you want.”
“Not want, but need.”
I took the trident, my eyes narrowing. “What’s that?”
“A strong connection with a certain changeling ghost.”
Not that again. I sighed. “So, you’ll give me this undoubtedly very expensive trident in exchange for channeling an evil child ghost that could make my life hell if I screw up during the process and allow it to latch onto me like a ghoulish tick?”
“When you put it that way, yes.”
I looked to Natalie for guidance, being that she had several extra months of experience over me in age. “What do you think I should do, oh wise one?”
She shrugged.
That was it. Nothing else.
“Golly gee, Nat. Your brilliance is blinding me.”
She flipped me off. “Can you see that through my brilliance?”
“That’s it. I’m telling Santa on you.”
To Cornelius, I said, “Fine. It’s a deal.” I would’ve probably been roped into channeling the ghost brat one way or another, since Doc was on Cornelius’s side when it came to ensnaring the wily changeling. Before Cornelius could say anything, I blurted, “On one condition.”
“What’s the condition?” Natalie asked, sounding like his attorney.
“Are you working for him or me?”
“Him,” she said, her eyes alight, teasing. “He’s agreed to teach me how to get guys to treat me better.”
He did? Was that why she’d given him the shaving kit? Had it been another trade deal? Was this guidance supposed to help her fight off her feelings for Cooper, or was it intended for men in general?
I pushed aside my questions for later when she and I were alone. “My condition is that Cornelius comes to my parents’ place with us for the holiday.”
I had an idea that would keep Cornelius from staying home alone in this apartment over Christmas while at the same time giving him a purpose so he didn’t feel like a third wheel.
Cornelius
